Year of the Breakthrough

How was your 2008?

Every year that ends sets forth an opportunity for us to evaluate how we spent the year that has passed. What goals set in 2008 were we able to accomplish? What went wrong? What did we do right? and what changes should we do to become better the next year? - these are but some of the questions answered during these "year-end life-evaluation" days.

For some, the year end might lead to gratitude to God for the wonderful things and blessings received. While for others, it might be a deep sigh of "finally, the bad year has come to an end... business is bad, spiritual status is bad, health is bad, financial status is bad, family is bad, even love life is bad! and to make the bad year even worst, sin is doing good, and Satan is having a good year through me!!! you wish it wouldn't continue to 2009.. and you wish 2009 will be a "year of the breakthroughs".

Well, what is a breakthrough?

A breakthrough is a "barging-through" to whatever obstacles are in front of you, a demolition of the barriers hindering you to where you would like to be or what you would like to become. You break-through it to destroy the barriers and let your life loose from all the entanglements that limit you. We can compare it to a "charging foul" if you are a ball player. (but you won't be called for a violation) hehe...

What is it that you need a breakthrough for?

• A sin breakthrough? You wanna live a victorious life for God, not sin all the time?
  
• A forgiveness breakthrough? You can't forgive someone who has offended you?
  
• A financial breakthrough? A physical health breakthrough? (maybe you are sick always)
  
• A breakthrough in your love life??? Whoa! (you can't see God's will for you?...)
  
• A bad habit breakthrough? Whoa! It can be anything in your life! You need a breakthrough this 2009?
  

May Satan not hold you down as a prisoner of your past and your failures. May he not be able to hinder you as you pursue God's plan and purpose for you life. May God give you have a breakthrough this 2009! Pray for it!

Look at what the bible says:

"Thanks be to God Who gives us victory in Christ!" 

- 1 Cor. 15:56 -

"In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" 

 John 16:33 -

"For whatever is born of God overcomes the world, and this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith!. Who is he that overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" 

- 1 John 5:3-5 -

"In all these things, We are more than conquerors through Christ Who loved us! 

- Rom. 8:37 -

Only Christ can give us breakthroughs!

May 2009 be full of breakthroughs for each one of us whether it be financially, spiritually,

and any other areas of your life! God bless us!

New Years Resolution

With the new year just a few hours away. I guess many are already finishing up their New Year's Resolution list. However, I still want to suggest some of the things that you may add. Thank you also for those who contributed to adding to this list.

1. Fast for two days once every month or two.
2. Read your Bible, at least one chapter a day.
3. Finish reading a book, a Christian book.
4. Make a journal, it will help us count our blessings.
5. Have a weekly exercise, like jogging, basketball, volleyball, badminton, etc.
6. Lose 10lbs [for the overweight] / gain 10lbs [for the underweight] by the end of 2009.
7. Commit to attend one fellowship, not being absent more than 10 times.
8. Eat vegetables or fruits atleast twice a week.
9. Have a friendly conversation with a church attendee/member each month whom you haven't interacted with before.
   
10. Set aside tithes before Sunday, so God gets the best, not the rest of what's left
    
11. Carry a Gospel track in your pocket/wallet. Give it away at the first opportunity.
12. Bring one person to church by the end of 2009.
13. Share the Gospel to one person by the end of 2009.
14. Learn to drive.
15. Learn to cook something edible.
16. Stash some biscuits in your car. If a beggar asks for money, give biscuits instead. God loves a cheerful giver.
17. Attend a Bible Study group. [If you don't know how to find one, ask the church office or ask me.]
18. Go to the sanctuary 5 minutes before worship service starts. Pray while you are waiting.
19. Pray together with your family at least once a week.
20. Take up a new hobby that can help in your ministry, such as photography, flash making, etc.
21. Learn a new language.

Well, I'm all out of ideas. Maybe you guys can suggest some more. Happy New Year.

Goodbye 2008, Welcome 2009

As we wrap up 2008, let us remember some of the things that happened. Well, I'm writing down the things that I can remember so far. At least these are the more significant things.

[In no particular order]

1. Our GCHS gym burned down
2. Grace Christian College started
3. Our economy was hit by the oil crisis
4. Massacre at Talayan Village
5. Joshua De Leon was hit by a serious tumor
6. Our church joined a basketball tournament (PCIBL)
7. Sister Sharon Chio joined our pastoral staff
8. We had a mini fair, Fun for Fund
9. We had a youth summer conference in Baguio
10. DVBS (Daily Vacation Bible School)
11. We celebrated our 40th Anniversary (Anniversary Concert and Lunch)
12. Annual Christmas Party
13. Inauguration of our Fellowship Hall and Activity Center
14. Renovation of our church sanctuary
15. Out of one fellowship came Zion and Young Pro Fellowships
16. Chancel Repertory performed the play "Call Waiting" in our church
17. The biggest batch of Baptismal candidates
18. Junior Church Bible Camp
19. Christmas Shoebox project

If you count all the things I've listed down... there are more good than bad. I honestly couldn't remember anymore of the bad events. Lots of bad things have happened; but, I guess, they didn't really leave much of an impression. This reminds me of how God gives us His blessings, but we just don't seem to be thankful enough.

"Count Your blessings, Name them one by one. 

Count your blessings, See what God hath done..."

[you know the rest].

/\

/ | \

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That is all I'm saying.

How about posting some of them at the comments section below?!

Happy New Year

GCC 2nd Junior Church Bible Camp

Today was the last day for the 2nd Junior Church Bible Camp. It started last Friday (Dec 26,2008) at 8:30 AM. It wasn't an overnight event, but it went from morning 'til afternoon. It was a complete package with breakfast, devotion, singspirations, lunch, merienda, lessons, crafts, games, and many more.

God was faithful as always. At the start of the day, there was a P10,000 deficit; but at the end of the day, there were no more deficits. All the teachers were so blessed to have volunteered for this event. The kids loved it and were already looking forward for next year. God is truly all so faithful. 

More pix later on after I've gathered them all.

Zion and YPF Joint Christmas Celebration

Last Friday, December 19, Zion and Young Pro Fellowship decided to have their own Christmas celebration. It was a fun event that had more or less sixty attendees. So here are the pictures taken by our brother Benson for you to enjoy.

Joshua De Leon Updates

Last Sunday, I was able to speak to Joshua's Dad. According to him, Joshua is currently undergoing alternative medicine such as Wheat Grass, Transfer Factor, and Beam Ray. He is currently ingesting thirty (30) different medicines a day. Yep, 30.. so imagine how hard of a time his body is working just to cope up. They are currently spending more or less p65,000 a month. So if any of you are moved by the Lord to give even a just a few hundred pesos, that will help them a lot.

Anyway, despite the bad situation, the Lord is always gracious. A few weeks ago, his Coritsol level was 0.3. It miraculously reached 12, which is the normal level, in just four (4) weeks. This would usually take around six months just to normalize. Even the doctors are amazed at what happened. A little information about Cortisol is that it is a part of the Adrenaline gland. It is mostly referred to as our "stress hormone". I don't know much about this; but you'll need to take Steroids if you're Cortisol deficient. 

He'll have another MRI check up on January 4. If the tumor shrinks, he can most probably go back to school. Let us pray that this happens. It may be impossible for us, but nothing is impossible to our Almighty God.

Luke 1:37 "For with God nothing shall be impossible."

GCC Has A Multiply!!!

Apparently.. I and the rest of the 940 weekly attendees of GCC never knew of its existence. It has around 60 friends. Anyway, our church has a multiply. So come on register yourself as a friend, to get updated right away. http://gracechurch.multiply.com/

[I've also added this link on the right side of this blog.]

Candlelight Service

Luke 2:11 

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, 

which is Christ the Lord."

Inviting you all to the GCC Annual Candlelight Service. It will be held at 9PM tomorrow evening (Dec 24). Yep... that's Christmas Eve. Let us celebrate the birth of Christ Jesus our Saviour together, because HE is the reason for the season.

A little history for those who don't know what the Candlelight Service is all about. [another source here]

A candlelight service is a type of Christmas Carol that was formed around the Victorian era (1837-1901) by William Sandys and David Gilbert who collected and published a list of Christmas songs from England. Christmas carolling became so popular that lighting candles while singing became popular. This has become a tradition that is celebrated by many churches all over the world. It's a really nice service where we can feel really really Christmasy.

If you want to know to see more of the Candlelight service pictures, visit our church's multiply site.

DVBS 2005 - Jerusalem Market Place

I was browsing through the old files in my computer, when I found these pictures. It was taken over three years ago during the Jerusalem Market Place DVBS. It's kind of funny to see how different some people used to look, and how much some of them have grown over the short amount of time. At the same time, it is encouraging to remember how much we have all grown. Hope you enjoy them.

A Prayer for Joshua

If you've been involved in church ministry, or attend church regularly.. You may have noticed an entry of prayer for a kid who has a brain tumor. It's sitting in a brain of a six year old child named Joshua De Leon. The tumor is inoperable and can only be minimized by radiation or chemo therapy. Doctors have declared that he won't last more than six months. Even so, they (his family) are pouring all their finances just so he could live longer.

His parents are devastated, yet still hoping for a miracle. This Christmas, I want all of us to pray for him. Pray for his family. Pray for God's miracle, whether it is physicial or spiritual healing or both. Yes, we may doubt, we may not know God's will. We can't comprehend God's sovereign will, yet let us not just pray for our own satisfaction. Let us pray for God's will to be fulfilled in the lives of the De Leon Family.

If there's anyone who'd like to help in anyway, feel free to do so. Just message me (YM: speng_14), post a comment, or something. I'll relay whatever help it is to them.

1 John 3:16-17

“We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?”

Christmas Party 08 Pix

Last night was a wonderful party.... The night started with some singspiration by the Bethany Fellowship quartet (Alvin, Nelson, Imelda, and Anna), message from Dr. Paul, eating of course, awarding for children's costumes, and Identity game prepared by the Young Professional's Fellowship. The importanting is, we had a fellowship, we had fun, and most of all, we were able to praise God.

The game started with representatives from each fellowship to do Hep-Hep-Hooray cheers, with some actions, of course. It went down from twenty four (24) contestants to two final contenders (Cherrie wearing green and Imelda wearing the red sweater). Imelda chi won the Hep Hep Hooray portion to advance to the Identity game.... but sadly she lost the Identity game by making a wrong match. It was Cherrie who later took over and went for the win. 

If you're wondering what the game Identity is... it was inspired from a TV show that was aired a few years back. Basically, we had twelve individuals standing infront pretending to be someone, like an engineer, insurance agent, music lover, computer programmer, and many more. The twist however, is that they weren't portraying the professional role; but were, instead, portraying some certain church individual. What I mean is... Christine (1) was portraying Jill, Ralph (2) was Renee, Min. Sharon (3) was Natalie, Rendel (4) was Amando, Wilson (5) was Robert, James (6) was Carlito, Andrea (7) was Lilybeth, Marktee (8) was Enoch, Jimmy (9) was Bert hia, Kevin (10) was Nelson, Ervin (11) was Glenn, and Johnson (12) was Ptr. Victor. The church was filled with so much laughter when the character matches were revealed. I guess it made alot of sense to many when they realized half way what we were trying to pull. Even Jill was shocked to see Christine playing as her with sooooo soooo much detail.

Anyway..... though it only covers mostly the game, here are some of the pictures that you can enjoy... If I happen to get my  hands on other pictures especially the character matchings, I'll post them here as well.

Joint Christmas Party

Tonight will be the GCC Annual Joint Christmas party. Tickets cost around p250, so I'm reminding all those who bought them to show up on time. It's 6:30pm, please don't mistake it for the regular 8pm fellowship. This is due dinner being included and a fun game prepared by our dear brother JP,  besides the program.  PCIBL [that's the basketball team] members are given a free pass, so you can just walk in any time you want. Also, it's supposed to be a COSTUME celebration. Well, I'm pretty sure alot of people aren't informed, but I'm sure a jolly soul out there is in the mood to play dress up.

Anyway, I hope this night will be a celebration focused on Christ. Yes, we will have food, prizes, entertainment, and games. BUT.. BUT.. BUT.. just like what our pastor said last Sunday.. "Without Christ, there is no Christmas". So let us focus on praising Christ.... cause this is He is the reason for the season.

Baptismal Oct 2008

Oct 26, 2008 0730 hrs.  A turning point to many of our brethren. This year, over thirty (the biggest batch in Grace) individuals decided to proclaim their faith and follow Jesus' foot step to be baptized with water.(Matthew 3:13-17). 

Baptism from the Greek word baptismos, in other words, to immerse in water.... is not a requirement for Salvation, but an outward proclamation of faith. It is also commanded by Jesus in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19) "....baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit". Even so, many are reluctant to take this giant leap. So BRAVO to these individuals who faithfully attended weekSSSSSS of baptismal classes just so they could be baptized.

So all of you out there who are baptized, let us congratulate them..  And all you who are not yet baptized, we strongly encourage you to do so.

Before viewing the pictures... I believe during their baptism, they had in them the same conviction as Paul when he said in Romans 1:16 "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the POWER of God for Salvation to everyone who believes....".

PS.. If I wasn't able to take your photo, please tell me.. I'll glady upload it.

Junior Camp, Register Now!!!

As mentioned in a post a few weeks ago, GCC will have its 2008 Junior Camp on Dec 26-29. It will be a day event, no over night. This picture on the left is the registration form. Just go to the church office and ask for it. 

The details are.... 

Theme:  Knowing Christ

Date:  Dec 26-29

Time:  8:30AM - 4:30PM

FEE:  P550 on or before Dec 7

P600 after Dec 7

Grade: Kinder 2 to High School 1st year

Stuff to bring:

1) Extra shirt and face towel

2) personal water jug

3) Bible and pen

4) Personal medication

Included....

1) breakfast

2) lunch

3) snack

Unlike in the DVBS, this will be in AIRCONDITIONED class rooms. And if you didn't read the time slot, yes morning 'til the end of the afternoon.

It will also be co-ed, and there would be three teachers in each class. It will be divided in six classes (or in camp language, tents).... Kinder 2-Grade 1, Grade 2.....bla bla bla.. and lastly, Grade 6-High School 1st year. It was originally intended that Kinder 2 and HS first year students are not included, but they made an exception for those who really want to join.

If you have nothing to do, and want your child to learn something about God.. Send them off to Junior camp.. Hey, p600 is pretty cheap for four days. P125 for three meals. Ain't it a good deal?

Mini Fair: Fund for Fund SUUUPER DELAYED Pix

Sorry for the extremely late post... I haven't had the time to select the pictures and post them all. Back in August, Grace had a Mini Fair. It was a fun afternoon event that raised a little over a million pesos. So as promised, here are some of the pictures courtesy of our friend Walter.

40th Anniversary Concert Pix

Here are some pictures taken by Jordan during last Friday's 40th Anniversary Concert.

Tale Of Three Trees teaser pix

Here are some teaser pictures of what you will see on Friday. Thank you Eileen for the pictures.

Musical Concert Reminder

Just a reminder to all, Graceans or non Graceans.. all of you are invited this Friday to the GCC 40th Anniversary Thanksgiving Musical Concert. No need for tickets... it's absolutely free. Please try to come on time, so that the concert can start on time. Invite your friends, family, and even just someone you're meaning to say "hi" to. Don't forget.. 8PM! at the GCC sanctuary.

YGC FTF: The Pursuit of God

Last Sunday (Oct 19), the Youth Gospel Center (YGC) of the Philippines (in Masangkay,  Manila) held its annual Full Timer's Fellowship (FTF). You may be wondering to what that fellowship is for... The FTF is for anyone who is considering full time work..or pastoral work. It could be missions, teaching, pastoring, church work...yes, all the clerical work that you can think of... 

YGC on the otherhand, is a para-church. A para-church is like an organization, such CCOWE (Christian Churches Organization of World Evangelism, they are the pioneers of the magazine CCOWESpondence), or a center. In this case, YGC is a center. Para-churches are usually built by churches to serve a certain ministry need. If the need has been fulfilled, then the para-church's life ends. The only exception is evangelism...if evangelism is the purpose, then the para-church's mission doesn't end. One of those is YGC; YGC has been around for around half a century, it is supported by basically almost all the Chinese churches in the country. Now, you may ask, "there are many churches around the Masangkay area...aren't all the churches there also responsible for evangelism?" Good question.. the thing is..most non-Christian individuals (especially Chinese) would immediately close their minds if you say, "Hey, do you want to go to church?". That's an immediate NO to them. However, if you have a place such as YGC, then...their minds are a little bit more open. It's like a mediator between churches... Once evangelism is fulfilled in the non-believer, they are channelled to the different churches that suits them. It's actually very effective, that is why it has been around for half a century. I'll post more about YGC later on...

Moving back to the topic...

The speaker was UECM (United Evangelical Church of Malabon)'s head pastor, Rev. Danny Reyes. [To know more about him, you can check his testimony in one of CCOWEspondence's issues that was published with in a year ago].  The topic, as the title shows is... the Pursuit of God... this is a topic seriously aiming for those who are considering the ministry.

I won't narrate the whole message, just the highlights...

First, whether we are called to go to the seminary or just college... it is both a calling.. we serve and sacrifice in both fields. Anyway, for that day, the focus was those who are considering to go to seminary...

The passage was... 1 Timothy 4:12-16. This passaged was addressed to Timothy, a minister to the Gentiles. The verse goes...

"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, n faith and in purity. Until I (Paul) come, devote yourself to public reading of the Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers."

First of all, if we are in church, many will tell you.. "don't look at people, look at God." Question: can you literally see God? Of course NOT.. So look at people.. that's why God told us to be a light of the world.. Our life must be a reflection of God.

In this verse, Paul is telling Timothy to:

1) Be an example.. in short, his BEING. in speech, in life, in faith and purity.

2) Preach and Teach. or his DOING. teach what? God's word!

Why? because (highlighted in blue) we can SAVE them and ourselves. Them, yes.. knowing that we have a good testimony will let everyone see God in us. It will help them know that we are God's children. But what about ourselves?? Ain't being saved always be saved? YES, once saved, always saved.

It is referring to us being accountable to everyone. God will one day judge us all...and we are accountable to all our actions. This is to save us from trouble. For example.. if a pastor tricked someone for his money.. and that pastor preaches in the pulpit, would you believe him?

....

You probably won't...because he has tricked someone, lied to someone..and he might be lying to you. Then..that pastor is accountable to all the souls that he has stumbled. God will judge him for what he has done. 

So what about the majority who are not called to the ministry? The same principle still applies.. the BEING and DOING, except that the DOING is a little different. You may not be preaching and teaching...but what ever field God has led you... you have a role there to DO.

One last thing... only a few went there this year (around 20, more or less)... A few years ago, there would have been around 40 to 50 attendees... But now, each church had an average of 2 or 3 representatives.. Grace has around 1000 church attendees weekly. Ain't it weird that only 2 or 3 have the burden to seek the fulltime ministry? Yes it is...I'm sure there are alot of members in Grace and other churches who are in pursuit of God. They are just not being taken care off.. They are not informed.. It is not being organized properly. This has been a wake up call for me... we need an accountability group, a fellowship, or anything that would let us gather all of those who are seeking to join the full time ministry. We need to be more prepared...

Luke 10:2 

"And He was saying to them, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseeech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.'"

Junior Church Christmas Camp

It has been announced that the official Junior Church Christmas Camp will be held on December 26 to 29. I'm not too sure what grades can join in; but I think it starts from Kinder or Primary, most likely. First and second year high school students can probably leech in. It was also announced that it won't be an overnight event. Just a day event! A day event where you can ship your kids to church and enjoy the holidays with your husband or wife during the day. It's like DVBS in December and right after breakfast. BUT, things could still change!!! To some, a day camp isn't enough. So the question is...do you guys think it should be an overnight event or not? 

Let us know your thoughts by participating in the poll on the left side of this page. Many thanks in advance to those who'll participate..

Thanksgiving Musical Concert

As I've mentioned in my previous post, our church will have a Thanksgiving Musical Concert on October 24, Friday at the sanctuary. It will start at 8pm. The performers are the Combined Children's Choir and the Special Anniversary Choir.

They will perform... the Tale of Three Trees and Selections from Handel's Messiah respectively.

The church isn't giving enough information about these two titles, but thank God for the internet... So before you ask yourselves....is the Tale of Three Trees just like the story of the Three Little Pigs? And who in the world is Handel? Is he really famous? Cause I've never heard of him, ever...

Tale of Three Trees was written by Angela Elwell Hunt and David C. Cook [not the guy from American Idol]. It's basically a story of three trees who each had their own dreams. I'm sure each of us have our own dream. So I recommend this for all you dreamers out there, and expect to be wowed on how God can fulfill them exceedingly beyond your imagination. And if you have a good memory or notes, this story has already been mentioned during one of our worship services, maybe a year ago. I can't wait to see how the kids will depict it.

Messiah, on the other hand, was composed by George Frideric Handel,a German-born Baroque composer in the early 1700s.  He was born in the same year (1685) as Johann Sebastian Bach and was regarded as one of the more famous musicians of his time. Messiah, his most famous work, was composed in 1741 and revolves around Jesus's life and His significance to Christianity. In fact, the very well-known chorus Hallelujah is a part of Messiah. So....he is famous, well... his songs are. So if you like Hallelujah, I'm sure you'll like his other songs as well.. See you there.

40th Anniversary

For all you folks that have been out of touch lately, Grace will be celebrating its 40th Anniversary starting this October. The events will start off during last week of October until the end of the year. Some of the events will be annual events, while some will be totally new.

So far, I've confirmed the schedule of two events....

Oct 24 (Friday), at around 8pm, we will have a Musical Concert by the Children's Choir and the Anniversary Choir. It'll probably be a joint fellowship in the sanctuary. More details later on....

Oct 25 (Saturday), most probably (again only probably), there would be NO Saturday evening service.

Oct 26 (Sunday), 

7:30AM - baptismal service. Let us try to wake up early and congratulate all our new members.

9:30AM - joint worship service. Try to get there a little earlier, since it will be really packed. hehe...

12 noon - anniversary lunch  at City Best Seafood Restaurant along Tomas Morato. It would include different programs, so expect to be entertained. It's a once in a few years lunch where we could remember God's love and faithfulness to our church. Tickets cost p400 per individual. You may avail of it by just walking into the church office, ticket booths outside the sanctuary during Sundays, and from church staffs and fellowship officers. If your 40 years old, I bet you've already set aside P10 each year, so p400 is no biggie.

A Letter for Healers

I got this letter from a friend who graduated from studying medicine. This is specially addressed to those who are in the medical field. But for those who aren't in any medically related field, I hope you read this still. Perhaps this challenge is not just for doctors or nurses or clerks, but can be applied to any Christian serving in the profession that God has entrusted upon them. Enjoy....

November 8, 2006

Dear ones,

           Clerkship is almost over, well not quite.

           What have you learned? The science of medicine, or the arts of medicine?

           We are being pushed constantly almost daily. The more I learned medicine, the more fearful, or even dreadful I became. It is a vast sea of knowledge. There is no end in all these searching and pursuit of knowledge. Truly, the old philosopher was right by saying Arts is long, and life is short, judgment difficult.

            

            "Ars longa,

                vita brevis,

                 occasio praeceps,    

                    experimentum periculosum,    
                         judicium difficile."

           Are you growing numb to the death of your patients? Are you still being moved by the howling of the relatives? Are you sad, depressed, after witnessing the flat line on the Cardiac monitor? Or perhaps, you felt this awful sense of relief, an un-resettled guilty feeling of pleasure with the realization of no more Q 1 monitoring, or even bedside monitoring?

           Compassion.

Sympathy.

Let not the study of medicine suck up your emotions dry. We feel, therefore, we give treatment… heart-fully believing that by giving these set of medications, our patient is going to get better. Let this be the conviction when you are about to put something in the prescription pad one day; but for now, let this be the indwelling conviction when you are about to present the case in the AD CON.

Watching someone die, makes one learn how to live.

          

            Are you alive, or dead? Breathing perhaps you are, but are you alive?

          

            “Only one life to live

           Soon will past.

           Only what's done for Christ,

           Will last.”

          

            Each one of us, entering medicine, choosing this long journey less traveled with a set of preformed ideology. What is your ideology?

          

            Well, I have mine, and I refuse to keep silence this time.

          

            Becoming a physician is not the ultimate end. It is simply a tool to achieve that ultimate end. This ultimatum is hidden in the heart of man, revealed to each one by God.

          

            “The ultimate end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”

          

            I am a Christian who happened to be a doctor.

          

            I have my identity that no one can take it away. My identity is not bound by that white robe. Take it off, and I will still be me, James, a Christian who happened to be a doctor. I know where I came from, why I am here, and where I will be going.

          

           As a clerk, there is little that I can do. But I have two hands that can fold, and a heart that can pray. This I say perhaps is the first and last lesson in the arts of medicine.

          

            Are you praying for your patients?

          

            You are instruments in a Mighty Hand! Let this be your confidence.

                                        

                                                                   Refusing not to feel,                                                                                      

                                                                          James Lee, M.D.(Mission Driven)

                                                                                           11-08-2006, Sampaloc Manila

 

"Leading is a temporary assignment.  Following is a
lifelong calling."
             --- Joseph Stowell, "Following Christ"

Any Writers Out There?

Just so you guys know... I'm trying to make this blog a GCC community blog. Sort of like a diary for Grace. As of now, I'm the only one writing. So, if there is anyone out there from GCC who wants to join in, could you send me an email or IM me? speng_14@yahoo.com. You don't need to be a writer (I'm not that much of a writer myself), I just need someone who has the heart for this kind of ministry. Many thanks....

Everybody's Question: What is God's will for me???

Every Christian will always have this question..

"What is God's will for me??? How will I know if it is my will or HIS?"

It seems like a simple question, but everyone seems to have a hard time answering it each time it is asked. We always have a desire, a circumstance, or a dilemma. Each time we have these, we go back and ask ourselves..."How will I know if it is God's will or my will?", "Did I make the correct decision?", "Is she/he the one for me?", "Will I regret this?", and many more questions that pop to our mind in an instant. We all wish that there was a so-called Will-of-God meter; where we can just type in our questions and it will give us a YES or NO. We always want that instant yes or no. The answers are always, YES, NO, and most of the time, WAIT for the YES. Sometimes, if we want something; we will make every possible excuse or reasoning for it to be "the will of God". Wanting a non-Christian wife or husband, "if God doesn't want me to be with her, why would He have led me to her?", "But she makes me so happy". Doing something illegal or unbecoming of a Christian, "It's OK, everyone does it, so it's alright", "I always get opportunities for these, it means God is giving it to me. He wants me to take this blessing". This is the thing, whatever it is...we, as humans, can always come up with an excuse to make everything God's will. There is always a reason to want or not to want something.

I've asked a couple of my friends to determine what they personally apply to determine God's will... I've chosen some of them that I'm sure can be helpful to most of us.

Anyway, here are some of the answers:

[BTW, most of them have been rephrased for grammatical credibility].

Person A:

"If it is your will... in decision making, it is so easy to say yes. No sacrifices are made, and you're just happy. If it is God's will... it is always hard on your end, and it requires sacrifice."

Person B:

"I pray and ask God to give me peace of heart to the decision that will coincide to His will [I think he meant Biblical]; and if I'm doing something against His Will, He shouldn't allow me to have a peaceful heart."

Person C:

"1) There is no clear cut way of knowing.

 2) As long as it is Biblical (not a sin, not a direct disobedience to parents).

 3) After a certain amount of time in prayer, there is peace.

 4) General opinion of more spiritual mentors that approve.

Bottom line... if it is God's will, it will happen unless there is no "action" from that person. (i.e. if you don't work, you won't earn money).

As one pastor puts it... 'God just dictates one thing...Christianity. then it's free will to pick . I guess the obvious next question is finding the best.'"

Person D:

"I think I need to have the right relationship with God, and my heart and motive must be right and selfless also. And I should not cause anyone to stumble due to my decision."

Well, these answers are all from ordinary people. But how about pastors, pastors who have heavily experienced God in the "search for His will".

Pastor A:

"One will never know for sure. We just need to trust God. This is assuming we are not violating any Biblical commands. Pray and ask for God's leading. Use the wisdom that God has given you. You can do trial and error, as long as you are not committing any sin."

Pastor B:

"Peace is the key. If you have peace then it is God's will. If not, then wait some more."

Pastor B: [second answer, "baduy dw" 1st answer]

"We can never know for sure, we can only assume His will for us. But in the end, we can confirm if it was His will or not. There are a lot of factors to consider before you take action. 

1) Sin issue must be out of the picture. 

2) Readiness of people involved - emotionally, financially, spiritually, - readiness to take on the responsibilities, consequences, and demands of it. 

3) PEACE (haha!) - do you have peace in your heart? if none, then wait for the peace of God to fill your heart before you decide on something.

4) as one speaker has said, "we must be action-oriented, because God will always close the door on us if it is not His will, and open another door leading to His will.

5) walk with God and He will never lead you astray"

Finally, this is what the Bible says...

Philippians 4:4-7

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

I personally liked Person A's answer more, but the keyword here is PEACE. I'm sorry for those who thought I could give you an answer, but there is really no clear cut answer. God just gave us methods to understand His will. We all know when we sin, even if we don't admit it. That's why we have the Holy Spirit within us. If you really think that there is not even a hint of guilt in whatever sinful thing you are doing, I suggest you re-evaluate your acceptance of salvation. I'm happy God gave us free will and doesn't dictate us. Imagine a world where we are all like robots. No free will, just do whatever we are told. 

Remember to pray to have peace, then you'll know His will. BTW, can anyone of you guess who pastor B is?hahah....

Let's Talk About Call Waiting (Revised)

As mentioned in previous posts, Chancel Repertory will be conducting a play entitled Call Waiting in GCC's sanctuary. It was held last August 29, at 8pm. It is a heart warming play about acceptance and love. It was spoken mostly in Amoy, and the only non-Amoy words that I heard were "Mister", "PSP" and "ba".

I got there around 7:50pm, it wasn't packed at that time. Come later 8:30PM, it was a full house - only few seats remained free. Lots of new faces, and lots of teenagers too. (That, I didn't expect that. Most teens now-a-days can't speak proper Amoy. My guess is, alot of them didn't understand alot of words,hehe). It started around 8:30PM (probably to give a little grace to those who are late) and ended around 9:50PM after all the sermons and prayers.

The Amoy part was light and most of the words are used in our everyday Chinese community conversations. There were some mispronounced words though, and some of the words were a little deep. But if you speak Chinese everyday or listen to people speak Chinese often, you'll get most of it. It wasn't a mysterious play that would require you to think. It was a heart-warming drama, that many of families can relate to.

Anyway, let us get to the story....

For those who have plans watching it, SPOILER ALERT!!!

The story revolved around Ah-Long and Ah-Bi.. They are a couple, but not really a happy couple. Ah-Long lost his father when he was young. His mother has loved God so devotedly, but Ah-Long resents God because of all the hardships they went through. He is stubborn, full of himself, lies alot, and didn't go to college. Sounds like anyone you know? Ah-bi loves Ah-Long and is somewhat misguided even though she goes to church. If you've heard of naive girls that are sooo-in-love and sooo-understanding, that's her. She can't see how Ah-Long is ruining his life and her's, because of her naive-ness and probably a naive sense of love for him. She was covering her eyes to the truth and ignoring everyone concerned for her. She was starting to sin more and more, just so she could, hmmm, help him(?). Even Ah-Long wouldn't heed anyone's advice; he would think that everyone was looking down on him. 

One of godly church member, Ing-Ho, tried to help both of them, continually prayed for them; but all Ah-Long thought was -- that he was being made into a charity case.

In any case, Ah-Long finally got a job as a fork-lift operator, he thought that he was making good money... until one of his co-workers and gambling buddy went AWOL (absent w/o leave), because he gambled all their salary worth P300,000 away. Ah-Long then tried to borrow money to help his friend. (I think this was a good side of Ah-Long. He may have been a gambler, but he tried to help his friend, even if he didn't have the capacity.) Of course, Ah-Long, being Ah-Long, went for the easy riad. He went to the mob/smuggler/blackmarket dealer (any will do, they didn't really say what kind). The mob boss, Mr Shang (I'm not sure, could someone correct me on this?), saw his potential to be his lap-dog and offered to hire him as his personal assistant. Ah-Long, tempted by the big money, went ahead and took the bait. After just a month or so, he was bragging all over that he could give a better life to his mom and marry Ah-Bi. Not long after, his mom caught him counting all the smuggled goods in their house. They had an argument, because his mom wanted him to stop. This is the point where Ah-Long told all his frustrations since his father's death and how his mom struggled and how he blamed God for abandoning them. His mom was left speechless, not being able to answer for God. It is hard to argue with an unbeliever. I guess, the miracle of salvation can't be explained; that's why we need to experience it for ourselves. Right after, Ah-Bi dropped by their house and found Ah-Long's mo on the floor crying, and she urged Ah-Bi to break up with Ah-Long because of his illegal dealings. She told her that, Ah-Long would give her a lot of trouble. Ah-Bi couldn't believe what she was hearing. Ah-Long then came back, and Ah-Bi confronted him right at that moment. Ah-Long admitted to his illegal dealings proudly. At that moment, he immediately received a phone call to meet his boss in a unspecified location.He immediately left Ah-Bi and his mom. Not long after, his Mom had a stroke, Ah-Bi rushed her to the hospital. She tried to call Ah-Long; but when he dropped the phone, she was afraid to call him again.

While at the meeting, Ah-Long met Mr Shang's colleague. He was given orders to deliver some packages at midnight. However, Ah-Long surprisingly said that he could not deliver the goods (or bads, maybe.hehe...) without knowing what they were. He was immediately blackmailed by Mr. Shang to just be quiet and obey; so he did as he was told. 

Let's pause for a break and assess the situation...

It was a little shocking to Mr. Shang why he would ask those, and maybe to many in the audience also. I think the Holy Spirit was already convicting him, telling him that he was doing something bad. He was hurting his mom, Ah-Bi, and himself mostly. 

continuing...

That night, Ah-Long gave an annonymous tip to the police to end Mr. Shang's operation. Of course, he wasn't of the hook. Since he also participated in illegal activities for over a month, he was also convicted in prison.

Ah-Bi visited him in prison, but he couldn't face her. He told her to just move on and find someone new. This time, Ah-Long was thinking more clearly. He cared for her and wanted her to be happy. All he brought her was heartache and trouble. He was also visited by their local church's pastor; but this time, Ah-Long listened to his counsel. I forgot the words he used, but he was telling Ah-Long to just cast his burden on God, rely on Him. Ah-Long received a letter from his mom and a torn Bible that was taped back together. This was from his mom, the Bible was his, long ago when he was a kid. This wheel-chair-strapped women, who can barely speak a proper sentence, managed to write a letter and fix up a totally worn out Bible despite her uncomfort. This is determination. It was a touching determination. Ah-Long was even struck by this, he could feel the love of his mother even though he could not see her. Ah-Long started reading the Bible, started changing. He started believing in God again; he was being convicted. To make the long story short, he made reply letter to his mom, got early probation for good behavior and was out in just two years or so (not sure with this though), and was reunited with his mom and Ah-Bi. It was a dramatic reunion, and I can't describe how deep it was. I guess, you'll just have to see it for yourself.

I'm sure they'll perform again in a month or two. You can call them up (632)7320973, 0917-5242625 or visit their multiply site Chancel Repertory.

Door to Door Ticket Giving

It was an exciting night for most of us. Some were nervous, some were terrified and overwhelmed with the idea of knocking on peoples door. It was a Friday night with clear weather and moderate temperature. Thank God..

In any case, we were able to finish the night safely. . This too was an answered prayer. Although disappointments also arise... many of the residents were either out or already as sleep. Maybe we went out too late, around 8:45 PM. Was it too late? We won't know until this coming Friday (August 29). Rememeber, it is not our power to lead people to watch; it is all in God's power. God bless.

For those who want tickets. Just call 3641415 / 3641977. Don't worry, it's free. So invite as many non-Christians who can understand Chinese.

Call Waiting???

Every Chinese church goer in the Philippines has probably heard of Chancel Repertory. They are a Chinese-Christian organization that makes evangelistic plays. They are all volunteers, so they don't get paid; but they perform like professionals. Some of the plays I've watched were Snapshots and Portraits, Zacchaeus the Wee Little Man, and Rahab the Harlot. For this year, it is a play purely in Am

oy. I still have no idea what the story will be like, except that it is a modern Filipino-Chinese setting. It was played in UECP around a month ago. You can ask them if you want some spoilers.. Anyway, the details are... August 29.. 8pm at the GCC sanctuary. Tickets are FREE. So if there's a scalper out there selling it you, better tell the church office.. Btw, we will be going door to door this Friday (August 22) around Grace Village. We will be handing tickets to every house as much as possible. Be at Grace by 8pm if you want to join us.

And for you having non-Christian parents, relatives, and friends who want them to share God's blessings. Here is your chance, take it while it lasts...or in this case, while tickets last...

Fun for Fund Results

The results are out. As of last Sunday, we were able to raise PHP 1.06M. It may seem small to some, but it is awesome. It is right at the target amount with a little extra bonus. Our prayers have been answered. god has provided. Btw, I also heard some rumor of someone offering something not monetary, but necessary. I'll get back to you on that with the pictures I promised.

Day Before

Preparations are heating up. Excitement all over the place. It's the day before the Mini Fair. The fellowship hall is packing with people decorating their booths, planning, chatting, and working hard giving their best for Sunday. I'll post some pictures later on of the event. I hope a lot of people would drop by and enjoy the festivities.:)

Mini Fair: Fun for Fund

I forgot to mention that the title of our event is called "Fun for Fund". It's August 5, just less than week for the grand event. Every body is working hard just to make sure things are getting done. Tickets are starting to sell too. Thank God. We just needed to have little patience; and of course, faith. One thing I ask everyone is to pray for the weather. Whether or not God would bless us with rain or shine, we should still pray that to have faith, strength, and commitment. Having rain ain't so bad. It's like having a natural air conditioner. The church can then save up the money from turning on all the air conditioners. So let's leave the natural to God and focus our energy on making the fair as fun as possible. And also, let us not forget to have our quiet time. We must never neglect our own time with God, it is as essential as preparing our booth. In fact, it is more important.

In closing, a well respected pastor used to tell us.. With more prayer, there's more power. With less prayer, there's less power. Without prayer, there's no power. So let us charge up with lots of power.

Mini Fair tickets..

So they (elders, deacons, pastors, and other people involved) have decided that the tickets will be in p300, p500, and p1000 denominations. The tickets serve as our monetary denominations that we can consume on that day. There's no entrance fee, just so we are clear about that.

They've assigned fellowships and other ministry groups to sell the tickets. They've divided P500,000 among us evenly. For Young Pro Fellowship, we have around, p20,000; but we're also helping another Junior church class because their group got dissolved. Now, it's P30,000. It may seem easy if each is willing to spend P1,000.. but reality is reality.. and the reality is, most individuals are cheap when it comes to giving to the church. Another reason is that most individuals would want to buy on the day itself. I'm sure most of us think the same way.

Right now, I have around P4,000 worth of tickets to sell. I have sold about, P600?? tough huh? Well, it's tougher than I first thought.. The fair is a week away, so please buy from me...

GCC Mini Fair

Yes, it's true. GCC will have it's mini fair this year to raise funds for the on going church renovation project. It will held on August 10, 2008, around 11:15 to 17:00. The bar has been set a little higher this year to a whopping P1,000,000.. Yep, that's six zeros. It may seem impossible; but I guess, we should all have a little faith here. Amen??? O well, I'll assume you said Amen..

What will we have this year? I'm not so sure yet.. but I heard there'll be... coffee shops, pastries, sandwiches, dumplings, junk food, junk food, and junk food. Yes I know, we can't just eat junk all day. That's why there'll be activities such as bowling, darts, fishing, video games, biking, and many more that I have no idea about... and for those who just want to buy stuff, I have no idea what non-edible items will be sold. I just know there will be.. It's a surprise for you and even for me. So let's save our money so that we can spend it for our beloved church and have fun at the same time.